You can't have too many. You do have to read them, though...
Commend "The ABC's of Reloading" to your attention. No load data, lots of "how"...
Each manual has a "how" section, you oughta read three, at least, before buying anything else.
Tom

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Molon Labe!

Earl Naramore's Principles and Practice of Loading Ammunition, Samworth, 1954 is the best single book on ammunition I have seen. There are about 500 pages dealing with how and why components are made the way they are, followed by about 300 pages of how best to load ammunition. Naramore was quite well qualified: he worked for Lyman prior to WWII, and was in charge of several ammunition testing programs during the war.

Some information concerning primers is dated: non corrosive, non mercuric primers were neither uniform nor standardized at the time this was written.

This book is out of print, but well worth the effort it will take to find.

I had been doing it almost as long I've been reloading--Checking one manual against another. Our own member, the esteemed, the venerable, the laconic, C.R.Sam, taught me the use of the verb phrase, "to second source," for this practice. As in, "You should second source that data, sonny boy."

There is always a possibility, however slight, of a misprint or an out and out error in a given manual. Or, a particular compiler may well be honestly reporting HIS data, but his instrumentation might have been off on a particular day.

I can recite, from memory, good, safe, load information for dozens of cartridges or variations thereof. But except for a very few old stand-by formulae, I won't put 'em out for others without checking my notes, or at least a manual or two, to verify that they are within normal limits. And, you know what? I do not resent in the slightest when someone takes my load tips and cross references them in his/her books. I applaud such care and caution.

Like Jeeper, I rgularly take advantage of the manufacturers' hand out pamphlets. Every handloader should look at the freeby rack in the gun shops, to see if Alliant or IMR or whomever have sent out new booklets. I like to keep back issues, too, just in case a particular powder or bullet is discontinued and I happen to have a stock on hand.

Best,
Johnny Guest

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sources for same. I have an entire bookcase devoted to loading data. I never check less than five sources when looking for data, NEVER!
Buy every old manual you can lay hands upon and update yearly with data from the bullet and propellent manufacturers.

Besides the good practice of "second sourceing", having several books has another advantage. When looking at loads for a cartridge new to you, multiple books can tell you the best powder for the job. When one book says powder A gives the best velocity, it is probably a good powder for that round. When three books say powder B gives the best velocity or within a few FPS of it, then it IS a good powder for that round.

I use the manufacturers handouts, plus the powder and bullet manufacturers. Lyman's 46th edition gives good information for the beginner and the how-to's, plus goes over the basics as to what you will need to start up rolling your own.

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